The long and winding road
by Lothiriel84
Summary: Seeing him like this made Cho go as far as sitting down next to him and asking him a question he actually hadn't meant to. "Jane, why did you do that? You knew that she'd never forgive you. Why couldn't you just be happy with her and your child?" - Title from the Beatles' namesake song.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 **

"We the jury find the defendant Patrick Jane not guilty on all counts".

He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, and turned to look at them. The guys were all there, smiling at him. Only Teresa – his wife – was missing.

Fair enough. He had just been hoping against hope that she'd forgive him. A fool's hope, and he knew that. As he stepped outside the court he wondered what he should do. He couldn't go home, that was clear.

The thought of his baby – he didn't even know if it was a boy or a girl, yet he reckoned it would be more or less two weeks old by now – suddenly brought a lump to his throat.

_Teresa would never allow him to see their baby. _

He turned when he felt a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"Hi, guys", he greeted them – fake cheerfulness in his voice.

"You were great, Jane. The jury was deeply moved while listening to your final plea".

"Yeah… thank you, Grace".

None of them dared to ask how he felt now that he had finally gotten his revenge. Even if Red John was out of picture at last, they all knew what that was going to cost their friend.

"You can come to my place while you seek for a better accommodation", Cho offered.

Something that could be easily mistaken for a smile touched his lips for a moment.

"Thanks. I really appreciate it".

He silently followed Cho to his car. Neither of them said a single word until they reached the agent's apartment.

It was only when he was finally sitting on the slightly worn out couch that he gathered the courage to blurt out the question which most haunted him.

"How's Teresa?"

Cho crossed his arms and took a moment before answering him. Not a good sign at all.

"She's still trying to cope with the fact that you disappeared without notice while she was five months pregnant with you child. Not to mention the fact that you chose your quest for revenge over your new family".

Trust Cho for being straightforward. Jane sighed, carefully avoiding his gaze.

"What about the baby?"

"She was born nearly three weeks ago, a couple of days before she was due. She's beautiful".

"It's a girl, then".

"Yeah. Teresa called her Beth".

Tears welled up in his eyes. He had a daughter now, and he wasn't even going to meet her.

Seeing him like this made Cho go as far as sitting down next to him and asking him a question he actually hadn't meant to.

"Jane, why did you do that? You knew that she'd never forgive you. Why couldn't you just be happy with her and your child?"

"I had to", Jane simply stated – his voice low with quiet desperation.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

Cho had been searching the attic the whole morning. He didn't knew what exactly he was looking for, he just hoped to find _something_. Something to help Jane – and even Lisbon – out of this mess.

Finally, as he forced open a locked drawer, he _did_ find something.

A bundle of letters, snapshots, newspapers clippings.

Each of them marked with a red smiley.

It appeared that Red John himself was the author of the letters. He mocked and taunted his old enemy, showing that he knew every little detail about his life. The fact that he had moved on with Lisbon. She getting pregnant. He even knew the date when the baby was due.

The snapshots and newspaper clippings were all about Lisbon, as a proof that Red John was keeping a special eye on her.

He was just waiting for the baby to be born – as he had announced in his last letter.

It really took a lot to upset Cho's stoic demeanor. Yet this time he felt sick.

To think that the infamous serial killer had been keeping tabs on them all the time. That he had enjoyed haunting Jane with his promise of destroying the new happiness he had found. His new family.

The monster would have deserved more than the bullets Jane had fired into his head.

Cho could now see the reason for Jane's actions. He _had_ to find Red John before he could hurt Lisbon and the baby. No matter if that was going to cost him his wife's love and trust.

The Asian agent just hoped that it still wasn't too late for his friends.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

Lisbon was so pale that Cho thought she was going to faint.

"Boss?", he asked tentatively.

It took her a few minutes to gather her strength. At last she spoke.

"He should have told me about these letters. We could have faced it together. I… oh, how I hate to think about him fighting against this horror alone".

"He just wanted to protect you and the baby".

She shot a quick glance at her – _their_ – little Beth, currently fast asleep in her crib.

"I thought he was just forsaking us. I thought that Red John mattered to him more than we did. I… oh, what have I done?"

"I'm sure he'll understand. Come and speak to him. He's still in my apartment".

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "You're right, Cho. Could you please drive me there? I'm going to take Beth with me".

"Sure thing. Let's go".

Jane was staring at the ceiling. Even if there was no Elvis-shaped stain on that ceiling.

Not that it actually mattered, of course. Nothing really mattered anymore.

As he heard the front door opening he vaguely wondered why Cho wasn't still at work. Maybe he needed his advice on a case – though Jane wasn't sure he really felt like doing something of the kind.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw _her_.

Teresa kneeled beside him. "Patrick… I'm so sorry… could you ever forgive me?"

"What do you mean?", he said in shock. "What should I forgive you for?"

"Cho showed me Red John's letters. I… I had no idea… I should have kept my faith in you. I feel so guilty about that…"

He sat up and reached out to brush his fingers against her cheek.

"Oh, Teresa…"

She was in his arms now, gently sobbing against his chest. He placed a kiss on her hair, then hugged her tightly.

"It's okay, Teresa… He's dead now, he cannot hurt us again. We're safe".

He felt his own tears trickling down his face. He could hardly believe that this was really happening.

Then the cry of a baby came to stir them.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I think little Beth here is trying to catch her parents' attention".

Cho simply tucked the baby into their joined arms and left the room.

Jane surely deserved some privacy now that he had finally gotten his wife and daughter back.


End file.
